Trouble with my smart charger

[Popeye2]

Hi I have a chinese smart charger

Trident 12v 25A3

and a petrol generator

Honda EU Inverter 10i

All worked fine for 7 years. Today the smart charger is not charging the batteries. Generator still working fine. On the smart charger no error messages or lights. The meter shows o current and 0 charged time, even after 30 mins. The green light does not come on. Still the boat gets full power for 220v appliances and lights (from the generator).
There is a row of tiny trip switches on the charger and they are to remain off, as they are, when it is to charge the batteries. When I switch them to ON position the green light then comes on and nothin else changes.
I wonder if the smart charger is too sensitive to the possible fluctuations in current from the gennie as it got older? Cannot drive the boat to the dock to check the smart charger on shore power as the engine battery is too low to start. I am at anchor in Portugal .
Can I put a wire from the generator directly to the battery? I see it has a 12v outlet. I dont have such a plug. COuld I put in two wires?

Thanks

[ShellBack89]

Follow the wires from the battery to the charger and see if any fuses close to the battery may have blown? On my 2 banks system, if a fuse goes on one battery, none of the batteries charge and reads 0. Check to see if there is a reset on the charger. Good luck!

[Popeye2]

Thanks. Tried Reset. No luck. There is no problem with any fuse or connection.
Today I am charging the batteries directly from the generator. For 220V appliances on the boat the smart charger works fine even with no green light (On switch). I can get a green light and no other fault light, by flipping tiny trip switch number 7 or 8 total. Still will not charge the battery is it used to do fine for 7 years.

[Popeye2]

spelling correction .........trip switch number 7 of 8 total

[sainted]

Sorry, mate, time to buy a new charger. They often die.

[smac999]

charging from the gen is probably only a few amps. get the charger fixed or replaced. don't relay on the DC output of the gen.


you will need a multi meter to check the charger. look for 230v ac at input.

with gen off. look for 12v at the charger output. (should read battery voltage) if read 0v. the charger has a blown fuse or has dissconnected from battery.

if 12v at output.

turn on gen. if 12v stays 12v. and charger has 230v in. charger is dead. replace.

[billgewater]

Smart chargers are not expensive items. Maybe ask for the loan of one from a neighbor to ensure the problem does not lay elsewhere.
I doubt if your model could be serviced/repaired for the price of a new one.
Then,
I would try testing the charger. The specific test is called the buoyancy test.

[stnick]

Clever folks the Chinese ! Hint its not saving money to the buy a charger twice ! Buy A quality one once and forget it . There are plenty of things that need attention on a boat to worry if the batteries are going to charge. BLUE SEAS !!

[Popeye2]

Thanks all. Tried everything reccomended and no luck so i ordered one today from ebay.